ENEE 426     Communication Networks    Spring 2009

Basic Information

ENEE 426, Communication Networks (Testudo Information)
Prereq: ENEE 326, Engineering Probability
Schedule: Mon/Wed, 3:30pm to 4:45pm
Location: CHM 1224 (Chemistry Building)

Textbook: Peterson & Davie, Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, 4th Edition (March 2007)
Software: TBD

Instructor: T. Charles Clancy, Adjunct Professor, ECE
Office: 1357 AVW on Mon/Wed afternoons; 2125 LTS all other times
Office Hours: 5-6pm Mon/Wed, or by appointment
Contact: tcc@umd.edu

Additional information: last year's course website

Lectures and Schedule

Schedule is currently tentative...
  • Week 1: Introduction (Chapter 1)
  • Week 2: Communications Links; LANs (Chapter 2)
  • Week 3: Medium Access Control (Chapter 3)
  • Week 4: Wireless Networks (Section 2.8)
  • Week 5: Queueing Theory; Packet Switching Performance
  • Week 6: Advanced Topics
  • Week 7: Midterm Review; Midterm
  • Spring Break
  • Week 8: Internetworking; Internet Protocol (Chapter 4)
  • Week 9: Routing; Mobility (Chapter 4)
  • Week 10: UDP & TCP (Chapter 5)
    • Wednesday: Class Cancelled
  • Week 11: Congestion Control & Flow Control (Chapter 6)
  • Week 12: Data Communication (XML, ASN.1); Compression & Multimedia (Chapter 7)
  • Week 13: Network Security, Access Control (Chapter 8)
  • Week 14: Advanced Topics
  • Week 15: Final Review
  • Final: 1:30pm, Sat May 16
Lectures will be given using Powerpoint slides, supplemented with whiteboard explanations. Lecture slides will be posted on the course website at least 24 hours before class. It is recommended that you print out the slides and bring them to class to fascilitate taking notes.

Grading Policy

The class grade will be based on exams, problem sets, and class participation.
  • 30%: Midterm Exam covering first half of course
  • 30%: Final Exam covering second half of course
  • 30%: Problem Sets
  • 10%: Class Participation